Philippines President Threatens to Withdraw From UN

After enraging globalists around the world recently with his vow to ignore the “stupid” United Nations climate regime adopted in Paris, firebrand Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte (shown) is at it again. This time, responding to UN criticism of his controversial “war on drugs,” the recently elected leader of the Philippines is now threatening to leave the entire UN as well — and maybe even set up a rival organization.

The Filipino president, sometimes mischaracterized by establishment media outlets as Asia's version of GOP presidential candidate “Donald Trump,” has developed a reputation for speaking his mind in highly undiplomatic ways. Last month, he ridiculed the UN and its “stupid” global-warming scheming, saying it was designed by oligarchs to "stifle" poorer nations. Over the weekend, Duterte again denounced the global outfit as useless and stupid, throwing out numerous expletives while defending his hardcore approach to illegal drugs and those who traffic them.

“Maybe we'll just have to decide to separate from the United Nations,” fumed the president, expressing outrage over comments made by self-styled UN “experts” who attacked the Philippines and Duterte over hundreds of alleged drug dealers killed in recent months. “If you are that disrespectful, son of a whore, then I will just leave you. So take us out of your organization — you have done nothing, anyway.” The UN should also return contributions made to the outfit by the Philippines' taxpayers, he said.

Duterte also attacked the UN for failing even in its ostensible mission of preventing war. “You know, United Nations, if you can say one bad thing about me, I can give you 10 [about the UN],” he continued. “I tell you, you are an inutile [useless], because if you are really true to your mandate, you could have stopped all these wars and killing.” He referred to Syria as the most recent example.

The Filipino leader, an ultra-“tough-on-crime” former mayor of the crime-ridden city of Davao, also suggested he might set up a new international organization to rival the UN. “I would invite everybody,” he said about his proposed new international organization. “I would invite maybe China, the African [governments].” The brutal communist dictatorship ruling China is unlikely to ditch the UN, especially considering the fact that its agents now run numerous important UN bureaucracies.

The Filipino president's comments, made at a late night press conference, were a response to criticism and threats made by two UN “special rapporteurs,” as the dictator-dominated UN “Human Rights Council” refers to its “experts.” The first UN figure, Dainius Puras, lambasted Duterte for his response to dealing with illegal drugs, which included asking the public to help stop drug trafficking in what was widely perceived as a call to vigilantism.

An estimated 500 alleged drug dealers have ended up dead amid Duterte's fierce crackdown on trafficking, with many of those reportedly dying in shootouts with police. Duterte stirred major controversy, though, when he urged armed citizens to help deal with crime bosses and what he said were corrupt police, judges, and military officials on their payrolls. Almost 5,000 drug dealers have been arrested so far. And in a phenomenon that has led to vastly overcrowded jails, media reports suggest some 600,000 people have surrendered to authorities to avoid being killed.

The other UN figure to criticize Duterte and his approach recently was Agnes Callamard, the UN's “Special Rapporteur” on summary executions. “Claims to fight illicit drug trade do not absolve the Government from its international legal obligations and do not shield State actors or others from responsibility for illegal killings,” Callamard said in what was widely understood to be a threat against Duterte.

Despite its absurdity, the perceived threat of prosecution by the UN, often ridiculed by critics as the “dictators club,” appears to have particularly infuriated Duterte. “You can’t stop me and I’m not afraid even if you say that I can end up in jail,” he said, vowing to put his life and his presidency on the line to stop the scourge of drugs. “What is ... repercussions? I don't give a [expletive deleted] to them.”

Duterte said the UN “experts” should not just tally the number of dead alleged drug dealers, but also the number of innocent lives lost to drugs. While the UN cannot even fulfill its own mandate, it instead worries about “the bones of criminals piling up,” he said. “I will prove to the world that you are a very stupid expert.”

Instead of publicly condemning the Philippines, Duterte added, the UN should have sent its “experts” to talk to him. “You do not just go out and give a [expletive deleted] statement against a country,” Duterte said in the press conference, suggesting that “protocol” had been violated. He said the UN "experts" had not investigated the facts, but relied on biased media reports.

Aside from the UN, Duterte also lambasted the U.S. government and the Obama administration, pointing to alleged “human rights violations” and “killing the black people” in response to U.S. government criticism of his extreme drug war. Earlier in August, Duterte even attacked Obama's ambassador to the Philippines as a homosexual and “son of a whore.” He then refused to apologize.

In any case, senior Filipino officials later “clarified” the president's remarks. “He was basically stating the fact that the Philippines is a sovereign nation and should not be meddled with,” said presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella, noting that Duterte was tired at the time and did not really intend to dump the UN or set up a rival. Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay also said that the Philippines remains “committed” to the UN, even though Duterte was “extremely disappointed” with the UN “experts.” Yasay, too, lambasted the UN officials as “highly irresponsible.”

It is not the first time an East Asian nation has threatened to ditch the UN. In fact, in 1965, Indonesian authorities sent a letter to the UN announcing their withdrawal. The UN refused to acknowledge the withdrawal, instead pretending like the Indonesian government was still a member. Eventually, new leadership re-joined the “dictators club,” and the spat faded into history.

The UN may be able to bully its smaller and less powerful member governments, such as Indonesia and the Philippines, and even try to refuse to let them exit upon demand. However, the same is not true for the United States, which pays far more than any other nation to keep the dictators club that is the UN up and running. Without the U.S. government as a member, the UN would promptly collapse.

Alex Newman, a foreign correspondent for The New American, was at the UN climate summit in Paris. He can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow him on Twitter @ALEXNEWMAN_JOU.

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